Bridge.



H. GELNER.

BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1917.

1,253 8@9 Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

Snumzloz invrr Application filed-March 13,

To all whofnt it mdy concern 1 Be it .known thatx-l, Hnnirr Gnnnninuicitizen of the United Statiesjresiding at Garne1','in the county ofHancock-andState of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Bridges; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled iii the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. j 'i The invention relates to improvements in bridges. 1 1 f i Theobject of the present invention is to improve the construction ofbridges and to provide a simple, practical and .efiicient bridge ofstrong, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction, which willbe selfsupporting and in which the means for supportingthe bridgeintermediate of the ends thereof will be in proportion to the weight towhich the bridge is subjected.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claimshere to appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. I

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bridge constructed in accordance withthis invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of mountingthe ends of the truss of the bridge.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated the preferredembodiment of the invention, the bridge comprises in its construction atruss composed of a horizontal top member 1, inclined end members 2, acentral vertical strut member 3 and a horizontal connecting beam ormember 4 supportin the strut member and the flooring 5 of the %ridge andsuitably secured at its ends to the inclined end members 2 at pointsadan rpm Specification of Letters Fatent. i

f; HENRY 'GELNER, "or GARNER, owa.

I BRIDGE.

arms oi portions 6, which extend below the connecting' beam 4 and thefloor 5 of the bridge. The inclined end members 2 are ?atented Jan,15,1913;

i917. seriainousas'oif suitablysecured at their oppositeterminals to thetop membcrl, which is braced adja- V cent to its ends by inclinedbraces7'exte1 1'd mg across the angles formed by the inclined endmembers and the top connecting member. The truss constitutes the mainframe work of the br dge and it may be varied in dimensions to provide abridge of the deslred size and may, be internally bracedto secure therequis te strength ofthe frame work which may be constructed of anysuitable material, either wood or metal or. a

combination of both. j

The bridge is supported by inclined levers 8 consisting oflongitudinally disposed beams extending from the end portions of thetruss inwardly and terminating short of the center thereof and fulcrumedadjacent their outer ends on piers 9 of concrete or other suitablematerial. The piers 9, which are tapered or approximately triangular inend elevation, may be conveniently located at opposite sides of a streamor other place to be bridged, and the levers 8, which are located atopposite sides of the bridge, extend inwardly and outwardly from theapexes of the transverse piers 9 and have relatively short outer armsand relatively long inner arms. The outer arms receive the dependinglower terminal portions of the inclined members 2 which rest upon theouter arms adjacent to the apexes of the piers, and the inner arms 8,which extend to the central portion of the sides of the bridge. Thelevers may be secured to the frame of the bridge by yokes 10 or othersuitable fastening means, and the beams, which consti tute the levers,may be provided with sockets 01' seats 11 in their upper faces toreceive the lower ends 12 of the inclined end members of the truss ofthe bridge to form a fulcrum or bearing of the same if desired. Theremaining weight of the truss rests upon the outer arms of the inclinedlevers and the latter may be proportioned to produce the at the centerof the bridge will increase with the Weight to which the bridge issubjected. In practice the bridge will-besuitablyanchored and theapproaches to the bridge will be built up substantially flush with thefloor. 1

As this is well understood in the construction of bridgesof this type,illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. lVhat is claimed is:

inner and outer arms, the outer-arms receiv-V ing and support ng thedepending arms or portions of the truss and f-the inner arms of thelevers extending beneath and sustaining the "weight of the bridge at thecenter thereof.

2; A bridge of the class described includp 7 strut interposed betw-enthe upper and in a. truss constitutin tlie frame work of b D i thebridge and having do\'v1iwardly project ing terminal portions'orarms,piersforni- "ing fulr'zruins,v and longitudinally disposed inclinedleversv fulcrumed intermediate of their endson the piers form relativelyshort outer arms and relatively long inner arms, the outer armsreceiving the depending arms or. portions of the ends of the truss andthe inner arms extending beneath the truss and supporting the bridge atopposite sides of the center of the same.

3. A bridge of the class described including spaced tapered piersforming fulcrums,

inclinedlevers supported upon the piers and extending inwardly andoutwardly therefrom to provide "relatively long inner arms andrelativelyshort outer arms, and a truss composed of inclined endmembers" having depending terminal portionssupported upon the outer armsof the inclined levers, an upperconnecting member secu're'd at its'ends'to the upper terminals of theend members, a lower horizontal connectlngand, support ing member secured jat'its terminals to the U inclined endmembers and supported intercenter by theinner arms of the levers, and

lower connecting members.-

HENRY GELNER. Witnesses:

Gobies' of {his fiatiit may be obtained for'five cents each, by ida -5 mucbmfiiissroflfbtratnti} Washing'ton,1)'.'G." r r i I In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature 'in p'resence'of twowit11esses.

1 mediate of its ends zit opposite sides of its

